eBay Spring Seller Update Good News & Some Painful!

by Kathy Terrill | Feb 28, 2018 | eCommerce News, eCommerce Selling Tips, eCommerce Tips, Selling on eBay

eBay’s Spring Seller Update 2018 is out. Like all of eBay’s updates, there is terrific news for sellers. And, there is also some very painful information.

To begin, under the leadership of CEO Devin Wenig, eBay continues major upgrades.

As announced in 2015,  massive structured data and Artificial Intelligence initiatives are unfolding. Product search is now more intuitive. There is a more fluid shopping experience to capture and please internet shoppers.

Shoppers want fast shipping.

Also, consumers want to easily discover products they want to buy. In addition, they want a frictionless returns. eBay is giving it to them.

Guaranteed Shipping will be rolling out to many sellers in March. It is popular with consumers looking to know exactly when their purchase will arrive. Qualifying seller’s listings are displayed under different arrival date filters. It costs sellers nothing to be included. Consumers love it. It’s a win-win. In addition, there will be a robust shipping area for sellers.  Graphics and shipping options will be clearer. This looks to streamline shipping, saving users precious time.

eBay’s Promoted Listings will appear on the homepage!

Promoted Listings appear many places on the eBay site. What’s exciting to sellers is that there will now be a placement on the main eBay landing page. Now more than ever  Promoted Listings is essential to qualifying Top Rated sellers and all store owners. Use my complimentary guide, to ignite your sales with Promoted Listings.

The catalog is evolving. This is no surprise to anyone following Devin Wenig’s numerous speeches speaking to upgrades to the shopping experience on the platform. 14  categories are now mandated to use the catalog.

So, with the changes in categories, sellers can look to improved item specifics.

As you see shifts in impacted eBay selling categories, take advantage. If eBay is adding item specifics, it’s because shoppers are using those in search. Fill them in and reap the search benefits,

Look for a makeover in eBay stores. As of May 1, a Starter level store will be offered below the Basic Store. Very large vendors can select an Enterprise store. Sellers can downgrade to a Starter Store with no penalties if they do so during the month of May 2018. Fee increases are planned for Basic stores and sellers with no stores, All store levels are promised a new more mobile friendly look soon. The new look will somewhat mirror the buyer experience on the home page. All of this offers sellers more choices for their businesses. My video breaks it all down for you.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWdRoZjzJUw

Yes, the pain is real.

eBay return policies are updated. Gone are numerous choices for returns. As of May 2018, there are five choices for sellers. Of the five, only two will qualify to receive the Top Rated Plus discount. Those are 30 day free returns and 60 day free returns. The restocking fee option is gone. My complimentary guide Spring Seller Update 2108 breaks all this down for you. I have several solutions for sellers who use restocking fees. Included are Pro Tips to maximize sales with changes the update brings.

Sellers are hit in their wallets.

If they want their Top rated Plus discount, they must pay for returns. So, to minimize the pain, sellers can select different return policies for different items. There is no need to offer free returns on all items. If you have very few returns, offering free returns has no impact. So, why not do it? If you sell products with a high return rate, consider if the discount outweighs the cost to your business. Chose what works for you.

Implement multiple return policies, if that’s the wisest choice for you.

In conclusion, the shopping experience on eBay is more intuitive and mobile friendly. Shipping is having awesome upgrades. Promoted listings get the coveted landing page placement. Stores get a makeover and include new levels. Fees increase. Returns are simplified. With new return policies, sellers make the difficult choice of whether to offer free returns.

eBay’s Spring Seller Update of 2018 is packed with good news of exciting upgrades. It also comes the real pain of free returns. This is an update for businesses to crunch their numbers and test. Use the data my Spring Seller Update Guide offers.

Each seller is wise to watch their sales numbers and returns. Looking at this key data, savvy sellers can have their online sales soar.